Success defined by television: The value system promoted byPM Magazine

Promoted for its unique production style, syndication arrangement, appeal to regionalism and local community needs, PM Magazine was a fixture in early evening television throughout the 1980s. But was the program really unique in terms of its overall message? What values did the program promote as being most important? By examining the value system present within a large group of PM Magazine stories broadcast during the summer of 1985, a clear picture emerged. The program was hardly just a random mix of upbeat local stories from around the US. Instead, PM Magazine emphasized and promoted a dominant personal success value system that revolved around recognition, achievement, financial success, excitement, and physical attributes. Arguably, this value system existed because it appealed to a particular demographic, making the program highly marketable to national advertisers; on a broader level, the value system functioned to reinforce existing traditional and conservative power structures within American society.